


Chai and conversation

by grimorie



Category: Person of Interest (TV)
Genre: Collection: Purimgifts Day 1, F/F, Gen, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-04
Updated: 2015-03-04
Packaged: 2018-03-16 06:45:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,112
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3478349
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/grimorie/pseuds/grimorie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>All Shaw wants to do is enjoy her food and tail the new Number but Root has other ideas.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Chai and conversation

**Author's Note:**

  * For [lea_hazel](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lea_hazel/gifts).



> This occurs in the magical time between _Pretenders_ and _Honor Among Thieves_.
> 
> Thank you to hagar and dealanexmachina for the beta and story advice. The mistakes are all mine.

Shaw settled in her seat and eyed the _chai_ , gauging the color and strength of the tea. Memories of her mother brewing tea and patiently explaining to Shaw the differences of quality between the loose leaf tea and the American version of tea. She was as passionate about tea as she was discussing politics.

Shaw remembered her mother's impassioned rant when Shaw decided to put milk in her tea. It was the last time Shaw put milk in her tea.

Just as soon as Shaw gauged that the  _chai_ was the right color, she lifted her eyes in time to see a familiar figure enter the restaurant.

Shaw narrowed her eyes when the other woman visibly lit up and made a beeline towards her table, and plopped down on the other chair without any invitation.

"So, what's good here?"

"Root," Shaw said, "what are you doing here?"

"I'm starving," Root answered.

"You're starving."

Root nodded her head. She looked sincere, but the more earnest and sincere Root appeared the more Shaw distrusted her motives. Root never worked a Number that wasn't directly connected to Samaritan and as far as Shaw knew, Leyla was an ordinary college kid who was in over her head and one of those problems could possibly lead to her death.

"And you just happened to be in the mood for some Persian?"

Watching Root's grin grow, Shaw realized she walked right into whatever Root was going to say next.

"I'm always in the mood for a little Persian."

"That was terrible," Shaw said.

Leyla arrived with Shaw's order, saving her from having to say anything more.

"One _Baghali Polo ba goosht_ ," Leyla said and placed the plate on the table.

"Thanks."

Then Leyla turned to Root and smiled, "Are you ready to order?"

"I'm not really sure what to order, what do you think I should order, Sameen?"

The urge to kick Root was strong except Leyla turned to look at her with a look Shaw recognized. It was the "I'm Iranian! You're Iranian too!" look.

"Sameen?" Leyla repeated with the right intonation and lilt to her voice.

Shaw had successfully kept her distance from Leyla but now, thanks to Root, Leyla was now very aware of Shaw. Shew pasted on a smile and said, "My mother's from Tehran."

" _Bebakshid, aya shoma Parsi sohbat mikonid?_ "

" _Yek kami_ ," Shaw lied and reiterated her point in English, "Just a little."

At that Leyla looked sad, but she pulled herself together and after a few pleasantries she left with Root's order.

And then Shaw kicked Root's shin. Root yelped.

"What did you do that for?" Shaw hissed.

"You said you always wanted a challenge," Root said as she reached down and massaged her shin. "Are you wearing steel toed boots?"

"No." Shaw pulled the _Baghali Polo ba goosht_ closer when she noticed Root eying her plate. "What are you doing here, Root?"

"Since the big lug isn't around, I'm your back-up."

John was supposed to be her backup but his captain was keeping a tight leash on "Detective Riley", and John being tied up with police work meant Lionel was, too. With Harold still an route from Hong Kong, Shaw supposed Root's claim made sense. But still, Shaw knew Root and the Machine aren't particularly chatty these days. "How did you know where I'd be?"

"Harry told me."

Of course he did. Harold's been interfering a lot in her life lately. Clearly, it was time Shaw revisited the talk about boundaries.

Root leaned close as much as the table allowed. Shaw was eating and she wasn't about to pull back just because Root liked pushing her face into other people's business.

"We're going to have so much fun," Root promised.

"The last time you said that I ended up tased, drugged, and tied up."

"And I ended up in a hood and zip ties," Root reminded her in a tone that really wasn't fit for a small Persian family restaurant.

Root leaned in so close her breath ghosted on Shaw's face and for fuck's sake, they were on a job. Shaw put her spoon up. "Focus on the job or else I'll carve your eyes out. With this spoon."

"I love how your threats are always so creative."

Shaw rolled her eyes.

Root finally pulled back but she didn't go far and pointed at Shaw's food, "What did you call this?"

"Lamb shank with rice and beans," she answered.

"No, what do you _call_ it? She called it Bag alle--"

" _\--baghali polo ba goosht_ ," Shaw finished, using the right pronunciation.

"I love it when you speak Farsi."

"Right." She started eating and focused on the lunch crowd, trying to spot any potential threats. As soon as she completed her visual sweep she returned her attention back to Root who seemed content watching her eat.

It wasn't the first time Root's done this but there's a point when a girl would like to enjoy her meal without someone staring lamplights at her.

"Quit staring at me."

Root opened her mouth as if she wanted to say something but a second passed and she closed her mouth again. Her whole demeanor was subdued and in a span of few seconds she went from annoyingly flirty to... this.

Leyla appeared next to their table with Root's _chai_ , and then assured Root her food would be out in a minute.

"What's with the Squidward act?"

The corner of Root's mouth ticked up, "Sponge Bob, Shaw?"

Shaw just chewed in answer, Root chuckled and reached for the _chai_ and the reaction was instantaneous-- she jerked away from the glass.

"Yeah," Shaw said, amused. "If its not scalding, its not _chai_."

This was her mother's favorite phrase when her father complained about the _chai_ being too hot.

Root grimaced. "Is this revenge for the iron?"

"Here," Shaw lifted the glass and took the saucer it was sitting on and poured the chai on the saucer. "It'll cool quicker."

Root eyed the saucer, "I thought 'if its not scalding, its not _chai_ '."

Shaw recognized the chance to turn the tables around, said: "Trust me."

There was a light of amusement in Root's eyes, she picked up the saucer and tried not to slosh the _chai_ as she brought the saucer to her lip and took a cautious sip.

"It's not as hot," she conceded.

"I know." For a while she and Root sipped their respective _chais_ in companionable silence.

Leyla finally appeared with Root's food. "Here's your _Kabab koobideh_ ," Leyla placed the plate in front of Root. "How's everything?"

Shaw picked up her chai and raised it to Leyla, " _Ajab chai_."

Leyla beamed at the compliment. "Thank you."

 

\---

 

**Author's Note:**

> "Bebakshid, aya shoma Parsi sohbat mikonid? " - Excuse me, but do you speak Farsi?
> 
> "Yek kami" - Just a little. 
> 
> "Ajab chai" - What a good tea, or what a tea!
> 
> Fun fact: According to this [interview](http://www.persianesquemagazine.com/2011/02/10/fairly-legal-exclusive-interview-with-sarah-shahi/) _Baghali Polo_ is one of Sarah Shahi's favorite Persian dishes.


End file.
